Celtic Host Hearts With Title Race Tightening

Celtic Hearts Premiership takes centre stage on Sunday when the league leaders welcome third-placed Hearts to Celtic Park, with the gap at the top standing at two points. Celtic have won 14 of their past 15 league games and scored at least twice in 11 of those, yet the mood around the club is unsettled after a 4-1 Europa League defeat to Benfica on Thursday.

Celtic’s League Dominance Meets European Setback

Martin O’Neill’s side have lost four of their latest five matches in all competitions, a run that includes two defeats to Rangers and one to Ferencvaros as well as the Benfica loss. The contrast with their league record is stark. Last Sunday’s convincing win over Motherwell underlined how comfortably Celtic have handled domestic opposition for most of the campaign.

O’Neill considered his position weeks ago but chose to stay. He has stressed the quality of the opposition and pointed to second-half improvement, and he now faces a selection decision in attack. Kasper Hogh may make way for Camilo Duran through the middle. Celtic have had more goal attempts than any other team in the Premiership, while Hearts are among the two sides facing the fewest attempts, so the contest sets a probing attack against a resilient defensive structure.

Hearts Carry Away Concerns Into Glasgow

Hearts sit five points behind Celtic and have lost just once in 13 matches overall. Their away league record, though, is less reassuring: two wins in their past 11 away games, with no clean sheet in any of them. They lost at Celtic Park on the final day of last season, a result that ended a three-game unbeaten run against Celtic and settled the title race in Celtic’s favour. Hearts have still won twice in their past six visits to the ground.

Wouter Vrancken’s team drew with Nordsjaelland on Thursday, conceding a late equaliser in the Conference League. Both clubs remain Scotland’s two European representatives, and both arrive with Thursday frustrations to process.

Rangers Ready to Pounce at Dens Park

Saturday’s visit to Dundee gives Rangers a chance to move above Celtic before the leaders play. Derek McInnes has overseen a seven-game winning streak, and Rangers are unbeaten in four away league games this season, winning the latest three. Their record against Dundee is formidable: 20 meetings without defeat, including two successive 3-0 wins. Dundee, managed by former Rangers defender Steven Pressley, have lost once in four but won their latest two games.

Elsewhere in the Premiership

Four Saturday games kick off at 15:00 BST. Aberdeen host St Mirren without a goal in their past three home league games, while St Mirren have lost four in a row and the latest two away without scoring. Hibernian, with one win in six and no clean sheet in eight, welcome a Falkirk side still seeking a first away win of the season and without victory at Easter Road since August 2014. Kilmarnock, who have won once in seven, meet a Motherwell team that has lost four straight. In Perth, St Johnstone host Dundee United, with Josh Fowler the league’s top scorer on five goals from 10 attempts.